Wanna Buy a Dumbass T-Shirt? UPDATE!!! .

Would You Buy This Shirt?

Howdy, y'all! I have thinking of ways to make my blogs more appealing to the readers. The are growing in leaps and bounds so I wanted spread the word in an offline kind of way for people who don't know about my blogs or those who don't read blogs at all, hoping to steer some of them my way. One way I was thinking about doing this is to sell some blog specific premiums. You know, stuff like t-shirts and coffee mugs.

My question to you is, would you be willing to buy something like that to show that you actually read the drivel I write? I'd love to see what you have to say because your response would be the key factor in my decision lay out some cash flow getting an inventory of goodies. They would of course be for sale and I would get a cut of the profits. I don't know all the particulars yet, I just wanted to run the idea by you before I made such an investment. Please keep in mind that the design on the shirt above is just a preliminary one and is bound to change, but you get the idea.

In the sidebar to the right, you'll see a poll with the obvious choices of "Yes" or "No" and "Maybe". Please take just a second to let me know what you think.

Thanks!
Toby
 
UPDATE!!! I just put up a view of the back of our proposed Dumbass T-shirts. Like the El Reverse-o (tm) look? What do you expect out of a dumbass like me? I'd like to know your opinion on the El reverse-o (tm) Design above. Vote in the poll on top of the right sidebar. It only takes a second to do and your Dumbass opinion matters to me. I say that with love in my heart. Dumbass.

Deleting a Friend

I've been tweaking and adjusting and all kinds of stuff about the TexNetMaine Empire over the last few weeks and I have come to a point where I must make some tough decisions regarding the blogs that are part of the Empire. I have picked up some outside writing jobs that will consume much of my time, including time away from my family. As difficult as it is, there is only one logical choice for me to make. So I am , as of today, removing Because Toby Said So from my plans to monopolize the internet. As much as I hate to do it, it is the only choice I can make. It has been, for a few months, the "step child" of the TexNetMaine family of blogs. Believe it or not, it takes me about two hours a day to put together one post,  so I am foregoing that blog to dedicate the time I spend on it to some paying opportunities. I really hate to do it, but it is the right thing to do.

Confession time: the arthritis and fibromyalgia from which I suffer are starting to affect my daily life and my ability to be a father and  husband as well as a provider. I ask for no sympathy and expect none. It's simply the right time for me to make the necessary changes that benefit me and my brood. I will still flaunt my brilliance for the world to see on Three States Plus One and Dumbass News, plus, of course, the paid writing gigs that I'll be doing. I'll certainly link to them so you can be dumbfounded by the sheer profundity of my insight and bullshit. :) I won't be getting rich, but the income I make will be welcomed and needed

I will also take this opportunity to remind you that a "Donate" button is on the home page of each blog. It's a secure link to PayPal, so don't hesitate to show me a little cash flow love if you are so inclined. Donate early and donate often! :) 

Adios, Because Toby Said So.

Because Toby said so.

Weekly Update on the TexNetMaine Member Blogs; UPDATED SUNDAY 3/20/11

UPDATE: Last night I was checking out some podcast and internet radio sites in search of a place to create podcasts and to do web radio hosting. I found some pretty good sites, but I am still not sold on any of them yet. I'll be doing the same today and should have a decision as to which site to use by tonight. One more thing, Heather and I have decided to do a radio as many times a week as the hosting site's rules allow. I'll have more on that tonight too, I hope. End of update.

I have been learning some stuff about setting up a podcast and doing an internet radio show. They are both fairly simple processes and I hope to have one or both operational in the next few weeks. "But", you ask, "if it's so easy to do, why wait?" I am looking into buying a new laptop that is a bit more "media friendly" than my current one. I currently have an IBM ThinkPad and I love it (I have an IBM desktop also)but it's lacking in some features that will allow me to get real serious about doing some heavy duty media stuff. On the other hand, Heather has an Asus desktop that's pretty loaded with bells and whistles, and I could use it for media stuff. However, I don't want to have all my media files and podcasts on her computer. I might not be able to access it as readily as I want to. After all, it is her computer. i could use my Google Voice account, but I'm not sure how to set it up to handle multiple calls at once, like a conference call. I'll check into that. I also have some friends who run a couple real good blogs, The Blogmocracy and The Diary of Daedalus. One of the Administrators there reads my blogs regularly so I'll contact her to get some of the skinny.

That's what's cookin' with the TexNetMaine Blog Family. As soon as I decide about laying out almost a grand on a new laptop or trying to wing it with this one, I'll make an announcement on the TexNetMaine Network.

Again, I'd like to thank you for the incredible support you have shown me. I appreciate it very much. With each page view, I am getting one step closer to my goal of taking over the internet. :)

My blogs:Three States Plus One, Dumbass News, Because Toby Said So

Notes

This is another "Thank you for letting the TexNetMaine Blogging Network occupy some of your valuable time" posts. I'll  never tire of doing these types of posts, because when I do them, it means good news for the dedicated, professional and otherwise Dumbass Staff (that would be me) at TexNetMaine.

The first 2 1/2 months of 2011 have been a time of some pretty impressive figures for all of the TexNetMaine member blogs. Day by day we are seeing more and more new readers at least stop by to take a peek at Three States Plus One, Dumbass News and Because Toby Said So. Thank you. I am humbled.

If you read a story that you like, please pass it on to your friends and family. Heather and I are working on a podcast and a live internet radio show where you can call in and we could talk about anything you like. You can bet the farm that I'll let you know about it in advance.

I have so many ideas for the TexNetMaine Blogging Family that I am working on in addition to the podcast, that I can't even begin to tell you about. I want to make TexNetMaine your alternative to the media you watch and listen to. Some of you reading this have already heard me on the radio, so I feel fairly confident that I can put something good online that you'll want to hear at your convenience, live or podcast. Also, as I have said many times, I'd love to have you write a Guest Post for any of my blogs. Just shoot me an email at texnetmaine AT gmail DOT com.

Thanks, y'all!

Adios,
Toby

Big TexNetMaine Announcement!

         TexNetMaine Video Channel

This weekend as I did my Blog Stuff and Daddy Duty, I decided that I wanted to hear from old music. So, I put my YouTube Fu to good use by picking out some music I hadn't heard in a while.I YouTube Fu'd up some Loverboy from the 80's then I went way back to the 60s and found some of my favorite tunes from one of my favorite groups of All Time. The Beach Boys. The problem is that I really didn't have blog to put them on. they were kind of Homeless Hits. I ended up putting them on this blog which was OK, but I felt like I was using this blog for something that I didn't want to do. I know it's no biggie, but like I said yesterday, I don't want this blog to end up like the drawer in your kitchen that has stuff in it for everything else in the world, but nothing for the kitchen! I then did what any sane person would do under similar circumstances. I started a new blog! It's I named it the TexNetMaine Video Channel.  Clever, huh? I think I'll end up changing the name of it.

It's your page to post damn near anything you want to. Except for adult content! REPEAT: NO PORN! PERIOD! If you have to ask yourself if it's porn, do not post it! I would also ask to label as such anything that is not safe for work. I don't want for anyone to lose their job due to clicking the wrong link at the wrong time. Other than that, fire away!

One More Thing: Please keep posts to videos or maybe  even a political cartoon-type thing. Thanks!

Toby

A 6 Pack of the Beach Boys!

Everybody's Workin' for the Weekend!

                        Because I Can. 
                                   :)                            
                                
                                 
                         LOVERBOY

                   

                                                                       

                                                                                     

Welcome MishMawshandOtherthings to the TexNetMaine Family!!!

I have a Major Announcement for you today! After talking to my wife about some blogging plans and such, we have jointly decided to put her blog under the Big Tent of TexNetMaine! Heather and I felt that by putting her blog, MishMawsh and Other things, under the auspices of TexNetMaine, we could expose the blog to more eyeballs.

MishMawshandOtherthings will still be the same great site it always has been, with Heather posting more of the great recipes you've grown used to. BTW, today's chocogasm recipe is the real deal. You've gotta give it a try it when you get the time. You can also check out the archives of MishMawshandOtherthings for even more great food ideas. Just scroll down the page and they'll be in the side bar on the right side of the page.

For newer readers, I'll give you a list of all the blogs that are a part of the TexNetMaine family. We've got some good stuff in any of them you decide to look at. And, once again, let's welcome Heather and MishMawshandOtherthings into our burgeoning media empire.

The TexNetMaine Blogging Empire to Be:  :)

• Three States Plus One - Mostly dedicated to the history of Texas, Maine and Colorado
• Dumbass News - We get Dumbass News from the antics of your local dumbass population.
• Because Toby Said So - God only knows what I'll post here, but it's always good.
• MishMawshandOtherthings - Heather is full of cooking knowledge and recipes for a healthy lifestyle.
• Because Issy Said So - This blogs is where you'll find my 8 year old daughter's take on life and stuff.
• TexNetMaine - Here we talk about our blogs and just about anything blog related.

There you have it. A quick look at what TexNetMaine has to offer. I'll even give you a chance to become a TexNetMaine Guest Blogger! Simply write a post, put it in an email and send it to texnetmaine AT gmail DOT com. You don't have to be a pro to submit something, hell, I am just a key with a keyboard and an opinion. Don't be shy! One more thing, you've got to be 18 Years Old or older to submit a post for any of the blogs except  Because Issy Said So. I look forward to hearing from you soon!



Adios,
Toby